Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Luke's version of the parable of talents differs from Matthew's version. For Matthew, the parable is intended to give instruction to the disciples on what to do between the resurrection of Jesus and the second coming of Christ. Basically, the message is to use your talents according to the will of God, and you will be ready for the Parousia. When He returns, he will bestow authority on trustworthy people and punish those who oppose him. Luke, however, uses the parable to what's going on in Jesus' earthly ministry as His Kingship will be accepted by some and rejected by others upon his entry to Jerusalem. A few things appear in Luke's version that are nowhere to be found in Matthew. First, Luke mentions the citizens who hate the nobleman and then sends a delegation to the emperor, saying that they do not want the nobleman to rule over them. Second, when the nobleman returns, the servant who did not use his talents is not punished. While his talents were taken away from him and given to others, he was spared from the punishment. Instead, the enemies of the nobleman who did not want him to be the ruler are punished and slaughtered.
We are currently living in a world where many people rejected Jesus Christ to be their ruler. The rejection not only comes from outside the Church, but also within the Church. They began to question the teaching of Christ and the Church tradition, which the institution was built on. They rejected Christ as God because they began to think of themselves as God. Those who still claim they have Catholic faith become so privileged and complacent, and they believe they are the King as well, so therefore, they reject Christ as their King. They downplay the doctrine or even reject it in the name of sensitivity and love. They began to change the liturgy and do whatever they wanted in the name of inclusivity and a participatory approach. Two thousand years ago, many people received Jesus as King, and He eventually received His kingship and shared it among His disciples. Similarly, despite the rejection that continues to exist these days, the Kingdom of God will continue to prevail and thrive.